CORPORATE

January 25, 2018

CONTACT: Joy Yoo | WHRO Public Media, 757.889.9491, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

CPB Awards $200,000 to WHRO Public Media for American Graduate: Getting to Work Initiative Public Media Initiative to Advance Education and Career Readiness

NORFOLK, VA (January 25, 2018) – The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced a grant of $200,000 to WHRO Public Media for the American Graduate: Getting to Work initiative to help advance education and career readiness locally. The station will work with partners throughout Hampton Roads to assess workforce challenges and opportunities, and produce content focused on the essential skills needed for students and workers to succeed in the job markets of today and tomorrow.

“We are excited to continue our work on the American Graduate initiative – WHRO is uniquely poised to be a part of this critical phase to close the gap between high school graduates and employers,” states Bert Schmidt, President and CEO of WHRO. “Given our ownership of 19 local public-school districts and the critical education work we do with the Commonwealth, we will leverage our partnerships to outline new career pathways and critical barriers to enter and stay in the workforce.”

The new grants represent the next phase of public media’s successful American Graduate initiative, which was launched in 2011 to address the nation’s dropout rate. During the past six years, public media stations across the country forged community connections and innovative partnerships to help improve student outcomes – substantially contributing to an increase in the national high school graduation rate to an all-time high of 84 percent.

“The American Graduate initiative attracted local business and community leader support and engagement by focusing on keeping young people on the path to success in school and life,” said Pat Harrison, CPB President and CEO. “All Americans want our young people to be prepared to fill jobs that currently are unfilled because of a skills gap.”

WHRO Public Media is one of 19 stations receiving these American Graduate grants as part of the national effort. Local partners will include local higher education institutions, local public-school districts, workforce investment boards, business associations, commerce and education elected officials, and other non-profit organizations.

About WHRO Since its founding in 1961 to support education, WHRO has employed creativity and technology to serve the residents of southeast Virginia in its mission to educate, inform and entertain viewers and listeners of WHRO’s four public television and eight public radio stations. Owned by 19 southeastern Virginia school divisions, WHRO also delivers online educational and new media services to 286,000 students and 25,000 educators per month. To learn more, visit www.whro.org.

About American Graduate American Graduate is public media’s long-term commitment to supporting community-based solutions to help young people succeed in school, career and life. Supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), more than 125 public television and radio stations have joined forces with over 1,700 partners to elevate the stories of youth and the supportive adults that help them succeed. Through American Graduate, public media, with its unique position as a trusted resource and important partner in local communities, provides a critical platform to shine a light on pathways to graduation and successful student outcomes. National and local reporting, on air and online is helping communities understand the challenges and community-driven solutions associated with education and future successes. Public forums, town halls and community conversations are activating discussions between community leaders, educators and more.

About CPB The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of nearly 1,500 locally owned and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television, and related online services. For more information, visit http://www.cpb.org, follow on Twitter @CPBmedia, Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe for email updates.